Looking for tonearm inspiration

@dover

Not a mystery at all. "Pro users" refers to radio stations, DJ’s etc where they use cartridges tracking at high tracking weights. The higher the tracking weight the less important antiskate is.

For home use the anti-skating must be set up equal to tracking force (less for advanced profiles). At least this is a basic recommendation, following this advice, if the tracking force is 2g then the anti-skating is about 2g too. If the tracking force is 1g then anti-skating is also about 1g. The higher the tracking force the higher the anti-skating? No?

For home use I’ve seen (and owned) only one tonearm without anti-skating, it was Schick "12 inch.

Why IKEDA removed the anti-skating from his PRO version of 64fx ?
The armlift also not there, it is a PRO tonearm for manual operation only.

Brent, you just wait, it’s beautiful.

Anyone ever heard about PRO version of Fidelity-Research FR-64fx ?

As always the thread goes to another direction, let's get back to tonearms, maybe?! 

I would avoid vintage tonearms unless they are extremely inexpensive.

Basically they are inexpensive, for example Technis EPA-100 cost under $1200-1700. There is no reason to avoid vintage tonearms if you know which one is really good, only people who know nothing about tonearms can make such statement like yours. You will never find anything close to the performance of EPA-100 among any modern tonearms at the same price range! Japanese vintage tonearms are reasonable priced and better than almost everything new. And some better modern tonearms cost over $5000.  

My inspiration is Japanese tonearms from the 70’s / 80’s

Denon DA-401
Victor UA-7045 / UA-7082
Fidelity-Research FR-64fx
Fidelity-Research FR-64s
Lustre GST-801
Technics EPA-100
Technics EPA-100 mkII
IKEDA IT-345
SONY PUA-7

Some of them are relatively cheap, some are very expensive. But all of them are very good and easy to use.

Denon DA-301 (a better choice for mc cartridges than the DA-401).

DA-301 is easy to find while the DA-401 is very rare.

You’re right, the DA-401 is ideal for mid or high compliance MM/MI, some MC cartridges also can be used as you can see on this Denon flyer. This is the arm with special headshell made by Denon (conventional headshells are not compatible).

I’m currently using my DA-401 with Joseph Grado XTZ (MI) cartridge.

You collect tonearms?  And you swap them out to play?  Just curious.

Not sure if you asked me, but when I bought modern high end tonearm (Reed 3p "12 inch) I start searching for vintage classics (tonearms and cartridges). Since tonearm/cartridge combination is critical I was looking for turntable that can give me the an opportunity to swap tonearms. Ended up with two Luxman PD-444 (4 tonearms in use, very easy to adjust, swap ... whatever... with 3-4 different type of metal arm bases provided by Luxman for this turntable).  

Check Reed 3p is you want one the best modern high-end tonearm, they are available in "9, "10.5 and "12 inch with different wooden armtube. Fully adjustable (including azimuth on the fly). And you can find desirable mass. This is beautiful looking tonearm of the highest quality. Some modern tonearms are so ugly (imo).

www.reed.lt

P.S. Do not buy refurbished vintage tonearms if you don’t know personally who did the job. I bought all my vintage tonearms in mint condition, some of them are NOS, never had any problem with any of them. I wouldn’t buy anything if it’s not perfect and fully original. In fact refurbishing can cause more problems, always depends who will do the job.

@rpeluso  Knife edge bearing system is not the best and SAEC geometry is strange. SAEC tonearms looks nice and the price is low for 308 but you can find better vintage tonearms. Regarding SAEC you can search an old thread on audiogon where everything explained in details. Saec geometry has been changed in latest (much better) models.  

Something definitely wrong with one of our member:

When I said "stay away from SAECs " I'm not saying is a bad arm but against the 250 seems to me looks as an inferior performer.

Knife-edge tonearm bearing is the exeption and ask you why the 99% of tonearm designers choosed a different bearing design than knife-edge.

As I said the 407/506/8000 are extremely well made with a very high quality excecution, no doubt about and are second to none in this regards but this build quality does not means the tonearm is a " stellar " one because it's not.

I don't think SAEC made any changes because they already had evrything to build it as the original but exist the posibility that they did it. As you said we have to wait. Now, the SAEC problem is not about its choosed alignment parameters, its problem is deeper than that. As you know you can make any kind alignment you choose with any tonearm.

R. (05-03-2018)

and now this:

Dear @rpeluso : Your SAEC 308 has a quality build level second to none. ... ... ...   

R. (08-07-2020)  

I have nothing against SAEC, when i was looking for my first serious tonearm many years ago I had to choose between SAEC 308 and Technics EPA-100. Guest what what my choice @rpeluso  ? :) 

Definitely Technics EPA-100 

  

Tonearm inspiration: here is one of my favorites (new old stock) on my piano.
Simply beautiful

The FR-64fx was the last generation of Fidelity-Research tonearms. Japanese classics, designed by Isamu Ikeda.

Important new features of the 64fx model (and this is where it’s different from previous versions):

-the armtube is a mix of materials with higher damping,
-the anti-skating mechanism is different,
-headshell is different,
-tonearm base is much better,
-stock counterweight is light,

Heavy counterweight (FR W-250) is optional.

Tonearm stabilizer nut (FR N60) is optional.

Here is my spare New Old Stock FR-64fx in original box.

P.S. @knollbrent I prefer PUA-7 over earlier 237 model which I sold NOS few years ago.

Micro Seiki MAX series of tonearms are overpriced, they are going for insane price in used condition and it’s better to buy brand new Reed 3p "12 inch than those old Micro MAX series, because they are $5k+

There are much more fans of Ikeda and FR tonearms than Micro Seiki MAX.

Also I can’t remember any person on this forum who can criticize FR or Ikeda tonearms on this forum, except for one user.

But read below what @opus111 posted about Micro Seiki MAX 237 and 282 earlier here

"... Having owed both Max 282 and 237 multiple times, I’d say it is one of the worst sounding tonearms I have heard. Bright and sterile would be the right words to describe the sonic character. I would’ve still kept them if they sounded half as good as they looked.

FR-64 sounds 10X better at lower used price." 

-opus111 

Interesting? I bet

anyone running a Denon 401 ?

me, and it’s the best denon tonearm for high compliance cartridges in my opinion @tomic601

I use it myself on my Luxman PD-444 and I always recommend this arm to a friends as "best buy", here is the system I put together for a friend with this DA-401 tonearm. Soon I will put together another Technics SP-20 with Denon DA-401 for my local friend, the plinth will be different (custom made).

P.S. Any tonearm with open silicone bath (like those overpriced Micro Seiki MAX series) is BS in my opinion, I hate those KAB fluid dampers made for Technics tonearms because they are collect dust all the time! In a month it will be a sticky bath full of dust screwed to your tonearm. 

lol:))